Don’t convert stadium to market, FA begs Borno govt

  The Borno Football Association on Sunday appealed to the State Government to rescind its decision to convert the abandoned multipurpose stadium project along Kano road in Maiduguri to a market.

The Acting Commissioner of Environment, Malam Kakashehu Lawan, had recently announced the immediate conversion of the stadium to a market.

Lawan had said that the market would cater for roadside traders dislodged by the government from major roads in the state capital.

But in an interview in Maiduguri, Secretary to the Borno FA, Malam Babagoni Grema, said the action would be counterproductive.

“We were actually surprised by the government’s decision because we believe it will be counterproductive and a great setback for sports development in the state.


“If they are looking for a place to resettle traders, they should build new markets for them, rather than convert the multi-million Naira structure to a market.

“The conversion will amount to wasting scarce resources, so we urge the government to reconsider the decision,” he said.

He also said that completing the complex, which was started by Col. Abdulmumini Aminu in the 1990s, would help restore sports in the state to its former premier position in the country.

“Government should strive hard to raise money to complete the project, rather than convert it to other use.

“Now that we are getting to the post-Boko Haram insurgency era, the government should take advantage of the peace we have now, to complete the project.

“This is one of the avenues that we can re-orientate our youths to realise their full potentials,” Grema said.